November 1, 2006 was a chilly Wednesday in Baghdad. A family friend was driving me to the airport, ending the two hardest months of my life. I was silent for the duration of the car ride, thinking about the fact that this could easily be the last time I would… Read more
Education is a vital foundation for advancement and progress in society. Without it, citizens remain uninformed and obscured from the tools and knowledge required to promote positive social and political change. Therefore, this week, our campaign to Put Iraq Back on the Agenda focuses on the weak education system in… Read more
As violence in Iraq continues to escalate, our campaign to Put Iraq Back on the Agenda presses forward. While there are many reasons that Iraq Still Matters, this week we focus on the incredible youth bulge in Iraq, which has led to a disenfranchised and disengaged youth population.
Iraq is… Read more
It’s that time of year again: March Madness! Brackets are filled out, bets are placed, and young men across the country are feeling the pressure to perform on college basketball’s biggest stage. With the sport’s popularity in the United States, a growing interest has developed around the globe. In Iraq,… Read more
Today marks the ten-year anniversary since the United States launched Operation Iraqi Freedom with the intent to remove Saddam Hussein from power, institute democracy in Iraq, and restore stability in the region. As the world looks back on this historical marker, Iraqis look forward, and strive to guarantee a brighter… Read more
Logging into Twitter today, I expected to see my feed filled with stories referencing the decade since the invasion of Iraq. Instead, for every one story I saw pertaining to the anniversary, there were five about the crisis in Syria. Now, as mentioned in the first installment of this blog … Read more
This Sunday is one of Ireland’s (and easily the United States’) most celebrated holidays, St. Patrick’s Day, which has garnered a large drinking culture over the years. Because beer is so cherished and heavily consumed on that day, I decided to research the origin of the popular beverage and, interestingly… Read more
Yesterday, much of the world waited in anticipation wondering when the black smoke rising high above the Vatican would finally turn to white. In light of the buzz surrounding the selection of the new Catholic Pope, I thought it would be interesting to highlight the striking similarities between Catholicism and… Read more
A few weeks ago a fellow intern, Chelsey, joined me on the streets of Washington to ask the public about their general knowledge of Iraq. One question that we asked was, “Which country do you think is more violent, Iraq or Afghanistan?” Every single response was Afghanistan. We then told… Read more
